Chrysta
Mize indicted in murder

On Friday, a Platte County grand jury in the Thadd Mize
murder case returned a new murder indictment for Brenda
Williams, and for the first time publicly linked Chrysta
Mize to the death of her ex-husband.

The grand jury indicted Chrysta Mize with conspiracy
to commit murder by planning with her parents, Jimmy and
Brenda Williams, to kill her former husband, Thadd Mize.

The indictment charges that Chrysta Mize conspired with
her parents to forge life insurance documents on her ex-husband
and attempt to collect benefits from the forged policy
after Mize's murder.

The grand jury also returned increased charges on Brenda
Williams. Previously charged with second-degree-murder,
Williams is now facing first-degree murder and armed criminal
action for her alleged role in the plot to kill Mize.

Jimmy Williams is still charged with first-degree-murder
and armed criminal action.

The Williamses have pleaded not guilty to the charges,
and Chrysta Mize pled not guilty at a court appearance
on Monday.

The three are currently being held in the Platte County
Jail - Mize on $100,000 cash only bond, and the Williamses
each on $500,000 cash only bonds.

The two sons of Chrysta and Thadd Mize, ages 9 and 4,
are reported to be staying with grandparents of Chrysta
Mize in Oklahoma.

Thadd Mize's parents, Pat and Dave of Wichita, Kan.,
are seeking custody of the boys in Kansas courts.

Thadd Mize was killed on Dec. 12, 2001 while driving
down a Northland street. According to police, Mize told
his girlfriend, whom he was talking to on a cell phone
at the time of the murder, that Jimmy Williams had shot
him.

A month before the murder, Mize had tried unsuccessfully
in Clay County Circuit Court to get a protection order
against Williams.